By Shelley Trope-Friedman, President, WIZO SA
How is it Rosh Hashanah already? There is something about this time of year that makes us wonder where the months have gone. Somehow, here we are at Rosh Hashanah again. It feels as though the year has flown by, with all the highs, lows, surprises and ordinary moments that make up our lives.
Rosh Hashanah gives us an opportunity to slow down and reconsider our actions.
The Jewish calendar is built around cycles: the year, the changing seasons, the rhythm of work and rest, beginnings and endings. Yet every cycle brings us back to a familiar place, while giving us the opportunity to begin again. A new year is not simply about turning the page. It is about deciding what we wish to carry forward and what we are ready to leave behind.
As we enter 5787, I find myself thinking about what it means to usher in a new season. What do we want to cultivate? Where do we want to grow? What kind of community do we want to build? Most importantly, how can we turn our hopes for the year ahead into action?
This is also a good time to think about our own purpose. We need to consider what it means to be a blessing to the world around us and how we can be a little kinder, more generous and more present. We need to consider what we would like people to experience because we were part of their lives. And what does that look like in practice, in our families, communities, workplaces and the wider world? We don’t need grand answers, but we do need to answer these for ourselves.
All of this sits at the heart of what WIZO does. For more than a century, WIZO has created opportunities for people to turn their values into action, to build, support, educate and strengthen communities. It is a reminder that purpose does not always have to be something we find; sometimes it is something we create through what we choose to give. Each new season is an invitation to participate. Rosh Hashanah reminds us that a new beginning doesn’t simply happen because the calendar says so.
It asks us to look at the year behind us and be honest about what we’ve learnt. If we want the year ahead to look different, what are we prepared to do differently? We can choose where we put our energy, who we make time for and what we contribute. So, as we gather together, hear the shofar and wish one another Shanah Tovah, I hope we will all ask ourselves how to do things differently this year.
May 5787 be a year of renewal, purpose and possibility for us all. With love and purpose, may we have the courage to help make it so.
Shanah Tovah u’Metukah. With love and warmth, Shelley Trope-Friedman
Website: WIZO South Africa
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